Just Another Love Story
by Mrs. Jess Cullen
Summary: Isabella Swan has been in love with her best friend since the age of 14 but after their high school graduation they went their separate ways. Will fate intervene and bring the two friends together or will she be too late?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue **

They say that your high school graduation day is supposed to be the third biggest day in your life, right up there with your wedding and the birth of your first child. For me though, it seemed like it was going to be the end of the world. My name is Bella or as my parents sometimes call me Isabella Marie Swan and today is my high school graduation.

I'm not going to lie; I've been looking forward to this day for as long as I can remember. I loved my mom and my dad but I was ready to be out on my own and making my own decisions. My parents loved me and I completely understood this but sometimes they could be a little bit overprotective like every other parent in the world.

There was one problem that I was facing with this whole high school graduation celebration I was about to dive into; the fact that after today my best friend and me would be going separate ways. After today he would be leaving for the honors program at Dartmouth and I would be heading off for a trip to Europe to travel before I headed to the University of California at Los Angeles. This very well could be the last night I see my best friend for who knows how long.

There's also another thing I forgot to mention. I've been in love with my best friend since I was 14. I have never built up the guts to come out and say it to him though because I was too afraid of ruining the relationship I had with him. In my head we are meant to be. Everything just seems right. When our hands graze each other I can feel the sparks and when I look into his eyes I feel like I can see his soul. It's like the stories you pay to go and see in the movie theaters. The ones about true love and love at first sight.

The only difference between the movies and my reality is that I don't get the happily ever after ending in the end. Instead, I'm losing everything. I've watched for the past four years as my best friend dated various other high school girls. I've stayed up with him as he complained as his latest catch and all of his relationship problems. I've watched as he spent every Valentine's Day setting up romantic dates for a new girl each year.

When prom came around I watched as he placed the delicate corsage on his date's wrist. I went with him to pick out the matching tuxedo so that he would color coordinate with his beautiful prom date.

My heartstrings pull every time I see him with his arm wrapped around another girl. I went through out all of high school never going on one date because the whole time I was pining after my best friend but I never grew the balls to tell him.

So now here I stand in front of the full-length mirror in my room dressed in the ugly polyester cap and gown on the day of my graduation. It's come down to the wire. Do I tell him how much I truly love him or do I allow him to leave for Dartmouth without so much of a word about how I truly feel?

I wouldn't be Isabella Swan if I had the guts to tell him how I felt. So my decision stands, I'm going to let him get away. After tonight, who knows what will happen to us. I do know, however, that I am going to make our last night together a memorable one. I would remember this night for the rest of my life.

My name is Isabella Swan and I am in love with my best friend, Edward Cullen.

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**A/N: Okay guys so I've started the wheels on another story. I know that this is a short segment but I just wanted to get opinions on it and see what you guys think of the idea. I have a few directions that this story could take and I'm sure as I continue to write this it will take one of those directions. **

**Anyways, just please let me know what you think and if there is anyone out there interested in reading another story written by yours truly. Please enjoy this short segment of "Just Another Love Story." Don't forget to let me know what you think! (I really do love reviews and I'll try to reply to as many as possible.)**

**~Jess  
**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter One **_

**Ten Years Later…**

There was a strange incessant buzzing noise that suddenly began invading my peaceful slumber. I reached out my arm to slap the offending object, which was followed by a loud and obnoxious crash as my alarm went flying to the ground.

"Great…fabulous start to the morning isn't it?" I muttered under my breath as I pushed the covers off…a move I immediately found myself regretting as the cold bitter air nipped at my bare legs and arms. "Chilly morning isn't it today Mac?" I looked at my dog that was curled up on my bed. He just gave me this '_leave me alone it's too early to do anything' _look before going back into the peaceful sleep he had been in.

After I had showered and made myself presentable to the world, I made my way into the kitchen to find the bare cupboards completely void of anything edible. I knew I had forgotten something last night while I was out. After scrounging around for a few minutes I found a slightly mashed granola bar that would have to tie me over until I could find something substantial to eat.

"Well, it looks like I'm going to be doing take out again for dinner." I threw the now empty granola bar wrapper into the waste bin and shrugged on my coat. Today, so far, was not shaping up to be the best Monday but then again when were Monday's ever really a day to look forward to…

"Come on Mac, let's go for a walk before I need to go to work." Mac hearing the word walk immediately launched himself from the bed and grabbed his leash for a walk. "That's a good boy. Let's get going before I'm late for work."

The bitter cold of New York's winter weather hit me full force as Mac and me began our short walk around the neighborhood where I lived. I had just recently moved to a small town house on the Upper West Side of New York City and I have to say that I enjoy the space and comfort that the town house provided in comparison to my old apartment. Not to mention Mac liked the change in space and the close proximity to Central Park. After a quick walk through the park I brought Mac back to the house grabbed a steaming mug of coffee and made my way out to the office for the day.

I worked as an assistant to the editor-in-chief at Banks and Riley publishing. I loved my job dearly and my boss and I were great friends but my real aspiration in life was to publish a few books of my own. If I ever got my lazy ass into gear I'm sure that Alyssa would have no problem in helping publish a book of my own. I just didn't have the motivation to begin writing a novel and I personally believed that I didn't have the talent to even have a publisher look at my writing.

"Good morning Bella!" My boss and friend for 8 years, Alyssa Jennings, greeted from her office. "You need to come in here…I think I have found the perfect bridesmaid dress!" She squealed and all but dragged me into her office. I forgot to mention that Alyssa recently became engaged to her boyfriend of 3 years, Jason Malone. Ever since she got engaged she has gone all "bridezilla" when it comes to wedding planning. I almost couldn't wait until she was finally married so the craziness of planning a wedding would die down.

"Good morning 'Lyssa, how was your weekend getaway with Jason? Did you enjoy the warm weather?" I was envious of the fact that she and Jason took a weekend getaway to bright and sunny Florida just to escape the bitter cold of New York City.

"Oh it was amazing! I wish I could go back and just take my spot back on the beach so I can bask in the sun…it was so sad when we landed yesterday and we were back in silly old New York with temperatures in the twenties." She sighed before continuing to flip through a bridal magazine.

"So…you have a few new manuscripts that have come in for you to scan through and decide on. Also, there's a meeting at 1:30 that you need to go to and you have a dress fitting today at 5."

"Sounds like today is going to be a fairly easy day then, huh?" I handed her the cup of coffee and took a seat in the plush lounge chair directly in front of her desk with my own cup of joe.

"It should be relatively easy yes. I guess that leaves you all the more time for wedding planning!" I was being slightly more enthusiastic with the wedding planning thing hoping that maybe she'd spare me the torture.

"Oh so anyways, I found this dress and I think you are just going to look fantastic in it!" She flipped to a page that had a silky brown knee length strapless dress on it and to be honest it did look somewhat decent. "I've had them find one at the dress shop so they can size you and start tailoring the dress so you'll have to come with me down to the dress shop later on today."

"What? I don't think I can…"

"Oh please…do you have a hot date or something? I know you, you'll go home take Mac out for a run and then curl up on your couch with take out and some tear provoking chick flick. You need to get out more Bella. I mean come on, you barely even hang out with me and I'm like your best friend!"

"Geez 'Lyssa, you make it sound like I'm some sort of hermit or something."

"A nun is more like it actually."

"I am most certainly not a nun." I immediately felt my cheeks turn bright crimson at where this conversation was going.

"You? Not a nun? You're right I think some nun's have seen more action than you have in your entire life."

"It's not like I don't get…any…" I was lying through my teeth and I being the horrible liar I was knew Alyssa saw right through it.

"Oh please! Tell me Bella when was the last time you were even in a relationship with a boy."

"There was…or when…I've never actually been in a relationship." I said sheepishly. Alyssa knew that I had never dated anyone from the time I knew her but now she knew the entire truth.

"What the hell? You've never even dated anyone before!? Have you at least kissed a boy?" I felt my cheeks turn an even darker shade of red as if it were possible for humans to change that color.

"There was one boy. So I'm not completely innocent or anything." My heart was beginning to thump faster and faster as thoughts of Edward began to travel through my mind; images of the two us all throughout high school and even times before that.

I had stayed true to my word and I had made that last night we spent together the most memorable night of my life. After graduation we had spent the night gallivanting around the town just the two of us. Edward was coming off of a break up from his last high school girlfriend and he wanted nothing more than to just forget everything and move on to his future. We did everything we could think of in the small town of Forks where we grew up which really wasn't all that much so Edward suggested we travel to Seattle and paint the town red. I, of course, immediately obliged and tagged along. Unfortunately, like every night it had to end some time. I couldn't fool myself into thinking that our night of fun would last forever.

Before long, I found myself standing in the driveway of his parent's house as his younger sister, Alice, embraced me in my sorrow as I watched the cab drive away with my one and only love. She's always known my secret. She figured it out herself with her uncanny ability to put the pieces together to solve the puzzle. Of course, we were only 12 and 14 respectively so the idea of true love really wasn't all that strong. He promised me that he would stay in touch with me forever no matter what but I knew that wouldn't be true. We were moving on with our lives and I was no longer going to be his best friend.

At first we would write each other every day and there would always be at least one phone call a week sometimes more. It gave me a false hope that maybe everything would work out after all. But false hope was all it ever was as our daily email correspondence dwindled into weekly and then to monthly until finally it all stopped. After the first three months of our first year of college our phone calls stopped too. Whether it was because school just because too difficult or because he was Mr. popularity I really had no idea.

"Bella! Girl, where did you go off to? You've been staring blankly at that wall for who knows how long! Bella!" I noticed the hand waving in front of my face and the semi-worried face of Alyssa filtered in amongst the mental images of Edward.

"Sorry about that, I just got caught up in memories."

"Yeah you did. I thought I was never going to get your attention back. I guess I should stop perusing these wedding catalogues and get back to work. These manuscripts aren't going to read themselves." I just nodded my head and stood up from the chair to go back to my desk. There really wasn't anything in particular that needed to be done right away and Alyssa was going to be holed up in her office until the meeting at 1:30. I guess the logical thing to do was to see if I could write anymore of the novel I was supposed to be working on.

* * *

Two hours later all that stared back at me was a blank white screen with a blinking cursor willing me to type anything at this point. I had all the ideas in my head but when it came time to write, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. There was something that was stopping my brain from turning my thoughts and ideas into words.

"Wow Bella, that's some progress you've made with that novel there. I feel like you're going to be published in no time." I jumped from my seat, startled by the sudden presence of Alyssa in my cubicle.

"Jesus! Alyssa give me a heart attack why don't you?" I took the headphones out and rubbed my temples. I could already feel the impending headache forming and I was dreading the actual moment it began to hit me full force.

"We've gotta head up to this stupid meeting. Lord knows we can't be late to something like this." I looked at her puzzled for a few seconds before regaining my composure.

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that you are about to be late for a meeting?"

"Well, I guess, technically yes it should be that way but I know engrossed you can get when you try to write so I'm taking the opportunity to play assistant to you."

"Whatever, let's get going before we are late." I filled up my coffee cup so I would make it through the meeting and followed Alyssa to the elevator. When we arrived at the conference room everyone for the most part was already there. I tucked myself into the overly comfy black chairs and braced myself for the very long and very boring company meeting we were about to sit through. Alyssa made sure to hand me lots of blank white paper so I could doodle my way through the meeting. I swear sometimes it felt like she was my assistant more than me being her assistant. I wasn't about to argue though.

"I thought that damn meeting was never going to end!" Alyssa exclaimed as we made our way back down to the now deserted floor of her office. We made ourselves comfortable on the plush couches and stretched out giving our bodies time to relax.

"For real, I was running out of paper to doodle on."

"I didn't know it was possible to drone on and on like that about fundraising and budgets and publicity. I feel like there is only so much you can say on those topics." A quick glance at my watch told me that the meeting had gone on for just under three hours.

"I'm starving. We totally missed lunch."

"We did, didn't we."

"Yes, unfortunately we did."

"Well, I think we should do something about. Should we order in or should we attempt to find a restaurant around here?"

"I like the idea of ordering in. Also, that gives you time to eat and then head down to the bridal store for your fitting."

"I'm feeling Chinese…or Thai."

"I'm feeling Thai…definitely Thai."

"Thai it is. Same as usual?" I nodded my head and watched as she pulled out her cell phone and put in our orders for take out. My stomach was beginning to rumble at the thought of the food that was coming our way. It had been so long since I've had good pad Thai.

Before long we were walking down West 39th Street to get to Vera Wang Bridal House. Alyssa was getting giddier by the minute because today was going to be her second to last fitting. As soon as we stepped foot in the bridal store I thought Alyssa might pee her pants with excitement. In all the eight years I've known her I had never seen her this giddy before and it was actually starting to worry me.

"'Lyssa you might want to take the excitement down a notch I think you're beginning to scare the other customers."

"Like hell I'm gonna tone down my excitement…it's my freaking wedding dress for my WEDDING that is in a month and I have every right to be excited." I gave up my argument after that not wanting to stand in bridezilla's way. "Bella…they have the dress that I had made for your made of honor dress in the back and want you to try it on."

"Do I have to? You know how much I despise getting dressed up!"

"Bella…this is my wedding day. I'm the bride…so do as I say." Alyssa had this withering glare on her face that had me shaking in my boots so without another word I headed towards the dressing rooms in the back. Behind the door that the seamstress opened for me lay a silk kneel length strapless light blue bridesmaid dress. In all honesty the dress was a lot more beautiful than I was expecting. I was actually anxious to try the dress on and see how it looked. The seamstress followed me into the room and helped me get into the dress by pining up all of the extra fabric that she would need to take in.

"This dress looks amazing on you dear. Your friend certainly knows how to pick 'em." She finished placing the last few pins in the back of the dress and allowed me to look at myself in the full-length mirror.

"Bella, honey, do you have it on? Come out here I want to see if I chose well!"

"Give me a second." I took one last glance in the mirror before opening the door and stepping out into the lobby of the dressing area. Alyssa jumped up and down and squealed like a little girl as soon as she saw me.

"Damn am I good! That dress looks amazing on you and the color! My word, darling, you need to dress like this more often!" I felt myself furiously blushing at the scrutiny I was receiving from both my best friend and the seamstresses who had turned their attention towards us. "Now I was thinking of putting a brown sash across the middle there that would tie into a bow in the back. And I would also like some brown trip across the bottom and the top for accents? Is that too much brown? Hmmm…maybe just the sash in the middle? Can I just get two dresses made?" I watched as Alyssa's face changed while she debated the possibilities of her request.

"We can make two dresses for you and you can either keep both or one whichever you feel like doing."

"Yeah if you can make two dresses that would be fabulous! Bella, you are going to look so gorgeous!" She squealed one more time before shooing me away to change. "I've got a waiting fiancée so hurry up so we can get out of here."

"Yes ma'am!" I hung the dress back off being careful not to stick myself in the back with the sharp tips of the pins. "Thank you so much ma'am for helping."

"No problem dear, you are going to look beautiful!" Alyssa and I made our way out of the bridal shop and back out in the cold winter air of New York City.

"You know Alyssa I am going to freeze in that dress right?"

"Oh nonsense Bella, it'll be warmer by the time the wedding comes around. It is March after all and winter's only got a few days left…thank GOD!"

"If you say so 'Lyssa. I've gotta go though. Say hi to Jason for me, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow!"

"You bet babe! See you later!" I hugged Alyssa goodbye and made my way down West 39th street completely blocking out the world with the music I had plugged into my ears. If there was one thing I loved about New York City it was the fact that I could walk along the sidewalks and just let the brisk air hit my face and clear my head. Granted the fact that the city was overly congested and the crime rate wasn't exactly the best, I still loved it. I felt my phone start vibrating in my pocket and I raced to pick it up before it stopped.

"Bella Swan."

"Bella-bear!"

"Emmett! How the hell are you? I haven't talked to you since New Years I think!" I took out the other earphone from my ear and turned off the iPod to conserve the battery life I had left.

"Yeah I know. I just wanted to call to tell you that I'm in town and I wanted to know if you wanted to grab some dinner?"

"You're in town? Really!?" I was getting excited at the prospect of seeing Emmett for the first time in about three months. I met him when we were both freshman at UCLA. He was studying as a business major and I of course was an English major. We immediately hit it off at the welcome week activities and have stayed friends ever since.

"Yeah I'm here for about a week and a half I think maybe longer. So I was thinking Delmonico's around 7:30?" Another thing about Emmett is that the man was filthy rich now-a-days. After we graduated from UCLA he moved up to San Francisco and started his own chain of car dealerships that was now booming.

"So are you in town for…" Before I could finish my sentence I found myself colliding with the hard body of a light post and I successfully managed to whack my head hard enough on the post to make my head go dizzy and for my body to crumble right under me. The last thing I could remember before everything went fuzzy was a silky voice trying to get my attention and Emmett's screaming through the receiver of the phone.

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**A/N: So here it is guys, Chapter 1 of "Just Another Love Story." I don't really have much to say right other than please review and let me know what you think so far! I promise you that Edward is coming into the story soon! Anyways please let me know what you think! Thanks for those who have read and a shout out to goes to all who have already added this story to their favorites and alerts list! **

**~Jess**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**Edward's Point of View**

Last night at the hospital was definitely stressful. There was a major motor vehicle accident that came in around three o'clock in the morning and it unfortunately involved five young teenagers and one adult. Because of this accident I had been in surgery all morning. I was still adjusting to no longer being a resident and it was weird being able to call some of the shots when it came to emergencies.

I completed my final year of my general surgery residency last year and decided to take on the pediatric surgery fellowship. This fellowship was important and required me to log as many hours in both the emergency room and the operating room as possible. For the past six months or so I had probably spent more time in the hospital than I did in my apartment. Part of me missed the comforts of home but other parts of me found the constant bustle of the hospital soothing.

My four years at Dartmouth were eye opening and miserable at the same time. I kept my grades high and was able to get into medical school at Colombia but my social life…was anything but memorable. I didn't party hard or anything but I had my fair share of conquests with women that I am now beginning to regret. I figured if I put my heart into the "relationships" that I had with the girls on campus that maybe I could numb the pain I felt from leaving behind Bella. It never worked though, every morning I would wake up with some nameless blonde in my bed and I would still feel the empty feeling in my chest.

After I graduated from Dartmouth I tried to find her but I had no success. I asked Carlisle and Esme if they could talk to Charlie and Renee for me but unfortunately Carlisle told me they both died in a tragic car accident a few years ago and no one had heard from Bella since. I took that as a sign that maybe I had been wrong all along about us and that maybe we weren't meant to be together.

It was then that I decided to pursue medical school. At first I was completely against it because I didn't want to follow in the footsteps of my father; I wanted my own dream but I just couldn't resist the pull I felt towards it. I sent in my application to Colombia and before long I was standing on stage receiving my white coat with my two proud parents applauding in the audience. I graduated from Colombia at the top of my class and moved on to New York Presbyterian to start my residency where I figured out that I wanted to be a surgeon more specifically a pediatric surgeon. So last year I sent in yet another application for the pediatric fellowship that is offered and was selected to enter the program and now here I am six months into my pediatric fellowship and somewhat loving life.

Don't get me wrong I did enjoy my time in the hospital. There was nothing like watching the joy on a family's face when I delivered news that their child or loved one was out of the woods and was going to make a full recovery but I still longed for something else.

"Hello?" I answered the vibrating phone in my pocket.

"Edward honey I just wanted to remind you that your father and me were coming to visit you next weekend."

"I remember, Mom. I'll call Alice and remind her as well that you're going to be in town and that she should try and clear her weekend so she can spend time with the family."

"Thank you very much Edward that would be very helpful."

"No problem Mom. Do you know what time your flight will be getting in so I can either pick you up or arrange for a car to pick you up?" I continued walking down the almost barren sidewalk with my phone attached to my ear like every other typical New Yorker. I noticed in front of me a petite brunette who was headed straight for a light post in front of me. I watched in horror as she walked right into the light post and hit the ground with a thud. "Mom, I'm going to have to call you back in a few minutes." I hung up the phone and raced over to the collapsed woman on the ground. As soon as I took one look at the girl lying in front of me I felt my heart shatter to pieces again.

"Bella?" I would recognize that face anywhere; that silky brown hair that flowed like a waterfall down her back and the pallid complexion of her skin and the tiny petite frame of her body. I began to assess the small contusion on her forehead and tried to bring her back to consciousness. "Bella wake up…come on." I shook her gently and watched as her eyes began to flitter open. I watched as she fully opened her eyes and her face paled significantly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Edward?"

"It's me Bella."

"I must have hit my head really hard…" She whispered to herself and I felt myself chuckle at her reaction. I was just as shocked as she was. Of all the places for us to have run into each other it's on the sidewalk in downtown New York City and with Bella getting injured no less. It was just like old times. In fact it reminded me of the day that I first met Bella.

"Well, you did hit it pretty hard. You're already starting to bruise there but then again you bruise so easily." I ran my fingers lightly over the purplish mark that was beginning to form on her forehead. "Listen, my apartment is quite literally around the corner, why don't you come back so I can check you out and make sure everything is alright in that little head of yours."

"Am I dreaming…or dead?"

"Haha no silly Bella you're here on Earth…alive." I chuckled at her confused demeanor and helped her up from the ground being sure to steady her as she swayed with vertigo. I grabbed a hold of her arm and helped her around the corner of the street and up the stairs to my apartment complex and into the elevator.

"This can't be happening…"

"What do you mean?"

"You left…you left and you stopped writing and you disappeared off the face of the Earth and now you're here…" I looked at her confused for a moment as she started chewing on her thumb just like she normally would when she was nervous or confused or both.

"Bella I didn't…I never abandoned you. I tried to find you but I had nothing to go off of. I mean no one even told me that your mom and dad died. If I had known…I would have been there."

"Why did you stop writing?" The elevator dinged signaling that we had arrived on my floor and I helped the distraught Bella off of the elevator and onto the couch of my two-story penthouse apartment.

"School just became…too busy. I didn't know how to balance my time very well then and I just…I don't know. You don't understand how hard it was for me to not hear from you either."

"So…what have you been up to for the past ten years then? Something great apparently since you're living in a luxury penthouse sweet. My Lord, Edward…this is stunning."

"I've actually just started my pediatric surgeon fellowship at New York Presbyterian."

"You're a doctor? Really?" I nodded my head in response and was a little taken back by her shock. "I just always figured you were going to be doing something in music…I guess I didn't know you as well as I thought I did."

"You know me better than anyone else." I let it slip. It was part of that stupid defect in men where we don't think before we speak.

"I should probably get going. I have a dinner to get to in a couple hours and I still need to get ready." I immediately reached out to grab her arm and pull her back to me.

"Can I see you again?" I could feel the desperation as it burned in my eyes just begging her to allow me time to get to know her again and to rebuilt the lost relationship between us.

"I'd…really like that a lot." The smile that crossed my face at that point would have made Las Vegas look like merely small beacons of light in the desert at night in comparison to the bright city it was.

"Before you leave please let me make sure that everything is alright inside that head of yours. I am after all a doctor." I flashed her that award-winning smile that made all of the girls swoon. She nodded her head and I led her into the kitchen where I kept a tiny first aid kit that kept all of my medications and such. "You might start to get a headache later on so here's some medicine to take of that. Unfortunately I do not have a medication that magically eradicates bruises so you'll have to deal with the lovely purple bump that's been slowly growing on your forehead."

"Great…that's just what Emmett needs to see when I meet him for dinner." I watched as she groaned into her arms wincing slightly as she bumped her head gently. Who was this Emmett that she spoke of? Was she dating? Was she married? I took a quick glance down to her left hand and saw no rings but then again Bella was never a jewelry person so maybe she just never wore her wedding ring. What if she had married? Where did that leave us?

"Well I really should get going, I need to change before heading to the restaurant." She stood up from the barstool and placed the glass of water in the sink.

"I'm really glad that I was able to run into you even though the circumstances weren't exactly ideal. Please try to be more careful."

"I'll do my best but you know me well enough to know that if there is any sort of danger within fifty miles it will inevitably find me."

"Right…well…at least try and avoid it as much as possible. It was great to see you again. We should do lunch sometime? Like maybe this Thursday?" I offered her a proposition for lunch and watched as she toyed with the idea in her head.

"That sounds great. Um…here's my cell so you can call me." She handed me a business card that had her cell phone number written on the back.

"Publishing?"

"Yeah I'm assistant to the editor-in-chief at Banks and Riley Publishing. I've been there for eight years now."

"That's fantastic." I folded the business card into my back pocket and pushed the button for the elevator to allow her to leave. "I'll call you tomorrow. Goodbye Bella." I watched as she stepped onto the elevator and left me alone in my apartment.

I thought about more…if she were married she most likely would have invited my parents and if she didn't invite my parents then she most definitely invited my sister. The two of them were like two peas in a pod when we were all in high school. I feel like even if I was the communication retard who couldn't remember to write an email or make a phone call every now and then my sister most definitely was not. I had to call Alice to find out if she knew if Bella was married or not. I pulled out my cell phone and listened to the monotone ring as I waited for Alice to pick up her damn phone.

"This is Alice Cullen speaking."

"Ally, I need to ask you something."

"Well hello dear brother…how are you these days?"

"The strangest thing happened to me today. I ran into an old friend…a really old friend."

"Well damn bro it only took you ten years to run into her? She's only been living in New York for as long as you have."

"You knew she was here and you didn't tell me!"

"Hey now," her shrill voiced pierced my ear "I was sworn to secrecy and girls don't betray other girls by giving away their location to their dumbass brothers who don't have the decency to stay in contact with their best friend since diapers. Don't blame this on me buddy, it's all you." I could almost see the smile that was gracing her face right now in all of its smug glory.

"Is she married?" My anxiousness got the better of me and the question slipped before I had time to stop it.

"Haha yeah right Edward…really? No she's not married."

"She's not?"

"Of course not…do you honestly think mom and dad would have been able to keep something like that from getting to you. Even they are not that good."

"Speaking of mom and dad…they are going to be in town next weekend so you need to clear whatever you have planned."

"I'm already a step ahead of you, I've had that weekend cleared for ages."

"Well, I gotta go. I need to get some decent sleep before I go back to the hospital."

"See you later brother dearest." Sometimes my sister's perkiness really bugged the hell out of me. It just wasn't normal for someone to be so damn happy…all the damn time.

"Bye Alice." I immediately hung up the phone and set it down on the counter before making my way upstairs to my bedroom. I can't believe I had been living in the same city as Bella for ten years and I never even knew it. Even for a city as big as New York City it's still hard to believe that we didn't run into each other sooner but it's also hard to believe the fact that we ran into each other at all. She looked beautiful. She looked like the exact same Bella that I had left behind in Forks but older and more mature and definitely even more beautiful than I remembered her. What was I thinking when I left her behind in Forks without telling her how I truly felt? I could have possibly wasted ten of what could have been the best ten years of my life because I was too much of a wimp to really tell her how I feel. Granted, I was assuming that she was just as infatuated with me as I was with her.

Who am I kidding? I don't deserve someone like her. I've made too many mistakes in my life…no angel like Bella deserved to be with someone as pigheaded and screwed up as me. If only I could just be with her and prove to her how I much I loved her. I'm ten years too late and now I regret more than ever my decision to let things remain where they were before I left for Dartmouth.

I'll be damned though…if I can't be with her forever as her love then I'll make damn sure than I'm still a part of her life as her best friend…again. And this time I'm not going to let her down by ditching her for a change of scenery. Now that I had Bella back in my life…I was going to keep her there.

Those were the final thoughts that ran through my head before I allowed my exhausted body to succumb to a good night's sleep in my own fluffy king size bed.

* * *

**A/N: Well guys, here's Chapter 2 of my new fiction. What do you think? I'm really excited for this story especially because it is just so different from "Will I Ever Love Again?" and it gives me a whole new world to create! Well, be sure to let me know what you think and for those of you who have already added this to favorite's or alerts lists you guys are awesome and are the reason that I keep writing! **

**Thanks guys and don't forget to let me know what you think! **

**~Jess  
**


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